Hot Tickets

The destinations and holidays you should be booking for 2018.

Cambodia’s islands are hot property. In 2018, Six Senses on Krabey Island and Alila Villas on Koh Russey will join honeymooners’ favourite Song Saa Private Island Resort as luxury options. Inland, there are more high-end offerings opening, including Rosewood Phnom Penh and Shinta Mani Wild, the latter of which is a new kind of high-end resort for Cambodia, located in a mountainous rainforest, home to elephants, monkeys, tigers and bears.

For a family vacation with a difference, consider Sri Lanka. This teardrop-shaped, Indian Ocean island offers families the chance to go on safari, tracking leopards in Yala National Park or visiting the huge gatherings of Asian elephants in Minneriya National Park; go on hikes or bike rides through lush tea plantations; and to explore ancient temples and crumbling ruins, now inhabited by troops of monkeys.

Seeing the critically endangered mountain gorillas of Central Africa is, for most, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Recently, Rwanda has attracted a number of luxury brands who have chosen to open their newest resorts in the country. In 2017, Wilderness Safaris opened the highly-anticipated Bisate Lodge, whilst Singita will open their next camp here in 2019. Meanwhile, One&Only are opening not one, but two new resorts in Rwanda: Nyungwe House is on the edge of a tea plantation, opening in December 2017, and Gorilla’s Nest will open in 2018, in the Virunga foothills, from where guests can visit the gorillas.

Small-boat cruising is one of the best ways to enjoy slow travel, and the sparkling Mediterranean Sea is the perfect setting in which to set sail for a few nights. Even better news is that the experience can be even more exclusive with the launch of the Alexa J, a sleek yacht designed for just one couple. Set sail around the Ionian Islands of Greece, stopping along the way for hikes to ancient temples, village visits, and to sample local, fresh Mediterranean dishes and produce.

Botswana still offers the ultimate luxury safari, say Jacada travel experts. The low-footfall, high-spend model has served to protect the country from overtourism, whilst generating employment and income for Botswanans. The Okavango Delta is home to unique water-based safaris and wildlife such as buffalo-hunting lions, huge herds of elephants, solitary leopards and wild dog packs. Meanwhile, accommodation such as Jack’s Camp provide a base from which to explore a very different landscape: the vast Makgadikgadi salt pan.

Tiny, landlocked Laos is often overlooked by those travelling in Southeast Asia – but those who do visit will be rewarded with a terrain of craggy limestone cliffs, thick forests, waterfalls rushing into azure pools, rare river dolphins and picturesque French colonial towns. In the north of Laos, Oudomxay Province is home to hot spring-based Muang La Resort, from where guests can delve into this less-visited part of the world by trekking through the rainforest, mountain biking and cooling off in the waterfalls.

Right on the doorstep of North American residents, Mexico is one of the easiest places to get away and detox, be it physically or mentally. Many resorts are set up for wellness with spas offering a range of therapies, whilst the activities one can enjoy (swimming in secret cenotes, wandering down deserted beaches, sunrise yoga sessions and savouring delicious Mexican dishes) are all excellent ways to unwind. Being based in the Yucatán Peninsula means that you can keep travel distances minimal, which helps to make a vacation feel like exactly that.

January and February in Kenya mean dry, warm weather, sunshine and great wildlife spotting opportunities, especially around watering holes. Newborn animals are also common at this time of year.

Late January and February are perfect months in which to travel to Costa Rica. The weather is largely hot and dry. Even better, there’s still availability for travellers to kick off 2018 with some winter sun.

The Galápagos Islands are good to visit year-round, offering some of the most relaxed, memorable wildlife encounters in the world. Snap up the last few boat cabins available for the first quarter of next year.

To plan your 2018 adventure, contact our UK and Cape Town offices (enquiries@jacadatravel.com) or our Hong Kong office (travel@jacadatravel.com).